A report from SuperData suggests Cristiano Ronaldo being the cover star for ‘FIFA 18’ could boost the sales for the upcoming title

#Cristiano Ronaldo has had a long week – all for a good reason. The 32-year-old international superstar has led Real Madrid to victory in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, earned an impressive 54 goals in his last 59 appearances for club and country, and closed in on his 600th career goal in the process. So it didn’t really came off as a surprise that he’d been chosen as the cover player for “#FIFA 18,” and based on a recent report, that could help #Electronic Arts get more copies of its sports game into players’ hands.

SuperData: Ronaldo could boost FIFA sales by 10%

SuperData, provider of market intelligence covering the global markets for video games, published a new report suggesting Ronaldo being the cover star for “FIFA 18” could help spike the sales for the upcoming title.

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According to its CEO Joost van Dreunen, an extremely popular player as a cover star can boost the game’s sales up to 10 percent.

The FIFA franchise is one of EA’s consistent accomplishments, and has contributed more than $1 billion to the publisher’s adjusted revenue in 2016. The franchise has accumulated over 21 million fans over the years, but the number could go up during eSports battles, in both Madden NFL and FIFA tournaments. With Ronaldo in tow, EA is expecting a huge spike on “FIFA 18” sales, making the franchise even more prized.

Cristiano Ronaldo: ‘Global’ cover star

For four years now, Ronaldo remains the highest-paid footballer and is considered one of the sport’s absolute best. He has a massive social media following, the reason why Nike signed him up for $1 billion lifetime deal.

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What’s interesting is that it will pit him against Barcelona rival Lionel Messi in yet another category, as the Argentine has signed up to appear on the cover of Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer.

Messi had previously graced the title’s cover in “FIFA 16,” and for “FIFA 17,” the vote went down to Marco Reus. Reus, despite having an impressive record, is nowhere near as popular as Ronaldo or Messi, which likely contributed to Ronaldo being on the cover. This time, EA is adamant on beating its previous sales record.

‘FIFA 18’ release date

“FIFA 18” will have a worldwide release on Sept. 29, 2017 for $60. Those interested in getting their hands on the game early can pre-order the Ronaldo Edition for $80 or the Icon Edition for $100. Both editions come with a bonus Ultimate Team content.

It’s also been confirmed that the upcoming title will be available not just on PS4, Xbox One, Steam and Switch, but on PS3 and Xbox 360 as well.

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